Over three quarters (76 per cent) of adults in the South West fail to meet the government’s recommended guidelines on moderate exercise, according to a recent survey by the National Charity Partnership.

As part of a collaboration between Diabetes UK, the British Heart Foundation, the National Charity Partnership also found that 23 per cent of adults in the South West said that the cost of fitness classes stops them being active.

Adults in the region reportedly spend an average of 79 minutes a week on moderate exercise such as walking or cycling, which is substantially less than the 150 minutes of moderate exercise each week recommended by the government.

As a result, the partnership is running a campaign, Let’s Do this, to support adults to take steps towards healthier lifestyles.

Let’s Do This is an online Goal Setter allows people to set and monitor their health-related targets and encourages them to stay motivated and achieve their goals.

Alex Davis, Head of Prevention for the National Charity Partnership, said: “Many thousands of people are living with either Type 2 diabetes or heart and circulatory disease in the South West.

“These conditions are potentially life-threatening, but they are also largely preventable.

“Even just ten minutes of a free activity can help people reduce their risk, but many of us can struggle with this.”

For more information, visit: http://www.lets-dothis.org.uk.